Grain-separator



4 sheets-sheet 1.

0. M. MORSE. GRAIN SEPARATUR.

(No Model.)

Tus Hemus Ferias co. pHoToLrrr-lo.. wAsHmnroN, n. c.

(Nomoael.) 4 sheets-sheet 2.

0. M. MORSE.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

No. 499,796. Patented June 20, 1893.

In: nofws PETERS co PNor'uurno.. wAsmNaTam n. c.

(No Model.) .4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

' O. M. MORSE.

GRAINSEPARATOR.

N0. 499,796. Patented June 20, 1893.`

. were granted to me.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ORVILLE M. MORSE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN,

GRAIN-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,796, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed September 27, 1892. Serial No. 447.005. (No model.)

To all whom it may ccncern:

13e it known that I, ORVILLE M. MORSE, a cltlze'n of the UnitedStates, residing at Jackson, lun the county of Jackson and' State of Michigamhave invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Separators, of which the folloiving is a specification.

This invention relates to improvementsin the separating machine for which Letters Patent No. 441,372, dated November 25, 1890, and Reissue No. 11,165, dated May 12, 1891, i The separating machine of s aid patent contains a separating chamber which has an imperforate peripheral Wall, an outlet in one end for the heavy material, an outlet at the opposite end for the light material, and a rotating air propelling device which is located in the separating chamber near the outletfor the heavy material and which causes the alr to circulate from the axial portion of the chamber to the peripheral Wall near the outlet for the heavy material, thencealong the peripheral Wall to the outlet for the light material, and thence back through the axial portion of the chamber, so that the circulating air curreutcarries the separated dust to the outlet provided for its discharge from the chamber.`

In an application for patent flledSeptember 19, 1892, Serial No. 446,299, l have described and snown -improvements in this machine whereby the machine is rendered better adapted for use as a grain scourer and separater, and Which consist, generally stated, of contrivances whereby the grain issuing from the separating chamber is separated from the alr current which accompanies the grain and whereby the impurities carried on that air current, such as chaff, chess, screenings, die., are separated therefrom, and the air current 1s returned to the separating chamber, Which latter also performs the function of a scouring chamber.

The improvements which form the subject of my present application, have the object to accelerate the speed or increase the volume of the air current by which the separation is made after the grain has been discharged from the scouring chamber. This object is attained by providing the machine with an 'rations for which the air current which is set in lmotion by the air propelling device in the scouring chamber is insufficient.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of foursheets:-Figure 1 is a vertical section of a vertical grain scouring and separating machine provided with my improvements, and having the auxiliary fau-arranged below the scouring mechanism, the plane of section being taken in line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section in line 2-2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a 'vertical section throughthe fan case in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the machine, partly in section, the plane of section being taken inline lt-4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the machine. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the dust spout and adjacent portion of the scouring chamber, in line 6-6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a vertical grain scouring and separating machine provided With my improvements and having the auxiliary fan arranged above the scouring mechanism. Fig. S is a vertical section of a scouringcham'loer containing'two sets of scouring devices, one arran ged abovethe other. Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of a horizon tal grain scouring and separating machine provided with myimprovements, the plane of section being taken in line 9 9, Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of this machine in line 10-10, Fig. 9.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the peripheral Wall of the scouring and dust separating chamber which has preferably the form of afrustum of a cone or pyramid. 1n the upright machine represented y in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this' peripheral wall is secured with its lower large end to a bottom K plate A which rests upon the stationaryframe of the machine, and with its small upper end to a top plate A2.

lB represents a vertical shaft arranged axially in the scouring chamber and extending below the same. The lower end of the shaft IOO y plate A2.

the grain or other material operated upon is introduced into the scouring case,and which enters the upper portion of the latter near the center thereof and delivers the grain into a funnel c secured tothe under side of the top The grain passes from this funnel upon a feed disk C which is secured to the shaft B in the lower portion of the scouring chamber.

D represents 'an annular scouring plate which is arranged horizontally below the feed disk and secured to the shaft by a spider d.

This plate carries on its under side the blades E by which the air is set in motion within the scouring chamber. The upper surface of the annular plate is preferably ribbed or roughened to increase the scouring action and its marginal portion is preferably turned upwardly to hold the grain longer on the plate. T'he blades E are preferably inclined in the dlrection in which they rotate for the purpose of lifting the grain in the scouring chamber and retarding its escape therefrom.

frepresents the dust escape opening which is formed at the upper or small end of the scouring chamber near the peripheral wall thereof, preferably in the top plate A2, as represented in Fig. 6. F represents a dust spout which connects with this opening and extends downwardly on the outer side of the scouring chamber. This dust spout is preferably provided near its upper end with an internal adjustable gate f.

g represents the grain discharge opening formed in the bottom plate A of the scouring chamber near the peripheral wall thereof. G represents the chamber into which the grain and air pass which issue from this opening and in which the "grain is separated from the accompanying` air current. The grain drops from the lower edge of the curved bottom plate g ofY this chamber upon an inclined board H which forms the bottom of the grain escape passage, while the air current accompanying` the grain reverses its direction and passes upwardly and outwardly between the boards g and H. I The air current is prevented from passing downwardly over the inclined board H with the grain by a iiap- Valve h which rests upon the grain.

Irepresents achaif hopper which is arranged underneath the upper portion of the inclined board H and through which the air current passes after it has separated from the grain. The air current expands in this hopper and drops the heavier grade of impurities such as cha, dac.

is a downwardly inclined passage which is arranged underneath the inclined board H and through which the air current escapes from the hopper I.

J is an ascending air passage or leg which is arranged at the lower ends of the inclined board II and air passage t.

vlivered from the lowerport ion of the inclined board H into the ascending air passage above the point at which the air current enters the ascending passage from the inclined passage i, so thatl the grain drops at this point through the ascending air current whereby any light impurities which are still commingled with the grain are removed. The ascending air passage may be provided with an adjustable wall j for regulating the force of the air current.

K represents a chess hopperwhich is arranged on the outer side of the ascending air passage .I and in which the air current parts with the lighter grades of impurities, such as screenings, duc.

7c is a horizontal air passage which extends inwardly from the top portion of the chess hopper K and which communicates atits upper side with the central portion of the scour-` ing' chamber by an opening 7o.

L is a fan ease which is arranged underneath the horizontal air passage 7c around the shaft B and-which contains blades Z which are secured to the shaft B.

l is the eye of the fan which is formed in the upper head of the fan case a'nd which communicates with the horizontal air passage 7c so as to draw'the air therefrom.

l2 is the blast spout of the fan through which the air current is-delivered into some portion of the air separating contrivance through which-v the air current passes which escapes with the grain from the scouring chamber. I prefer to connect the exit end of the blast spout with the chaff hopper, I, as shown in Fig. 2 and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, but it may be connected with the passage leading from the chamber G to the hopper I or with some other part through which they The air current set in motion by the fan l unites with the air current issuing with the grain from the scouring chamber and Hows with the same through the separating contrivances' in which theA impurities are separated from the air current, or through some of these contrivances, and so facilitates and increases the separating action. After having passed through these separating contrivances Athe air current is divided, one part pass ing into the eye of the fan case and the other part into the central opening of the scouring chamber, and as these Openings are in communication with each other and the air passage c a perfect equilibrium of the air is maintained in the several parts of the machine.

The air passage la may be provided with an adjustable valve k2 for regulating the air current through the same.

The peripheral wall Z3 of the fan case may The grain is de- IOO IIO

be tapered upwardly as shown in Figs. l and 8, and may be provided with a dust discharge pipe Z4at its upper end for the purpose of separating from the air any fine dust which may till be contained in it when it reaches the In the vertical machine represented in Fig. 7 the fan is arranged above the scouring chain` ber and the blast spout of the fan is connected with the upper end of the chaff hopper I, while the chess hopper K is connected withv the eye of the fan by an ascending air spout las. The grain is delivered by the feed spout c into a feed saucer C.

If desired, the scouring chamber may Abe provided with two sets of scouring devices arranged one above the other, as represented in Fig. S. In the construction represented in this figure the grain escapes from the upper scouring device through one or more openings fm formed in a horizontal diaphragm M secured in the scouring chamber and falls upon a funnel m by which it is conducted from the periphery toward the center of the scouring chamber, where it falls upon a feed saucer C2 from which it is thrown upon an annular plate D tovwhich the lower blades EA are secured. The grain, after having been scoured in the lower portion of the scouring case, escapes through the opening g in the bottom4 plate A. The lower portion of the scouring case is provided underneath the horizontal diaphragm M with a dust discharge opening f2 which is connected with the dust spout F by a branch spout F.

In the horizontal machine represented in Figs. 9 and 10, lthe shaft B. is arranged horizontally and the fan blades are secured to the shaft near the large head A of the scouring chamber. The fan case communicates at one side with the interior of the scouring chamber by an opening O and at the opposite side with the upper part of the chess hopper K by an opening O. The blast spout O2 of the fan is connected with the upper part of the chaif hopper I. The openingg, through which the grain and air escape from the scouring chamber, discharges into a chamber P which has in its bottom an openingp through which the grain falls upon the inclined board H, while the air current issuing with the grain moves outwardly to the top of the chaff hopper I and unites with the air current issuing from the blast spoilt of the fan and iiows With said air current through the separating hoppers and their connecting passages and back to the fan case where the air current is divided, one part flowing into the scouring chamber through the opening O and the other part escaping through the blast spout of the fan.

I do not intend to claim in this application any improvement which is described in my aforesaid pending application, but

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber having a dust outlet at one end, a grain outlet at the other end and an internal air propelling device, and the air separator through which the air issuing from the grain outlet flows and from which it is returned to the scouring chamber, of an auxiliary fan which is connected with said ai rseparator and whereby the movement of the air through the same is promoted, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber having a dust outlet at one end, a grain outlet at the other end and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connected with the grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the accompanying air current, a return passage whereby the air current is conducted back to the scouring chamber and a fan having its blast spout and its eye connected respectively with said passage near its inlet and outlet ends, substantially as setv forth.

3. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber having a dust outlet at one end, a grain outlet at the other end and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connected with said grain outlet and in which the grainv is separated from the air current, a grain passage leading from said chamber, an air passage intersecting said grain passage and through which the air flows from said chamber toward the scouring chamber, anda fan having its blast spout and its eye connected with said passage respectively in advance and in rear of its intersection with the grain passage, substantially as set forth.

Lt. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber having a dust outlet at one end, a grain outlet at the other end and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connected With said grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the air current, a chaff hopper into which the air current flows from said chamber, an air passage leading from said chaff hopper andintersecting the grain passage, a fan having its blast spout connected with said cha hopper and a ret-urn spout leading to the fan and the scouring chamber, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the scouring and dust separating chamber having a dust outlet at one end and a grain outlet at the other end and an internal air propelling device, of a chamber which is connected with said grain outlet and in which the grain is separated from the air current, a chaff hopper into. which the air current flows from said chamber, an air passage leading from said chad hopper and intersecting the grain passage,a

chess hopper receiving the air current from said passage, a return air passage connecting the chess hopper with the scouring chamber, and a fan having its blast spout con- IOO nected with the chaff hopper and its eye with the vreturn lnir passage, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination With the scouring and dust separating mechanism and an air separat-or receiving the grain and air discharged therefrom, of a fan connected with said air separator to promote the movement of the air through the same and having a tapering fan case provided with a dust discharge Io spout at its small end, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 10th day of September, 1892.

ORVILLE M. MORSE. Vitnesses: JNO, G. MUNDY,

SAM H. CAMP. 

